Bollywood’s love affair with grand studio sets is slowly giving way to something more grounded — quite literally. In 2025, directors are swapping sound stages for real-world settings, letting the authenticity of actual locations infuse their films with a richer, more textured feel.
Karan Johar’s Pehli Baar Tumse is one such example, filmed entirely in the heritage-rich lanes of old Lucknow. From the crumbling façades to the scent of kebabs wafting through narrow alleys, the city’s character is as integral to the story as the leads themselves. No amount of set design can mimic that lived-in beauty.
Sriram Raghavan took the opposite route for his thriller Kaala Paani, heading to the remote Andaman islands. The ocean’s brooding stillness became a character in its own right, adding an eerie undercurrent to every scene. Shooting here wasn’t easy — unpredictable tides, limited access, and sudden storms kept the crew on their toes — but the results are breathtaking.
Audiences are sharper now; they can sense the difference between manufactured backdrops and the real thing. A gust of wind in Ladakh, the soft echo of footsteps in a Rajasthan haveli — these are details you can’t fake. In 2025, locations aren’t just where the story happens. They are the story.
